Soil to Table

At COPA, we're passionate about cultivating relationships from the soil to the table.

This means that we partner with organic farmers who care more about the quality of their soil than the ease of their harvest. We partner with farmers who practice healthy rotation of their animals on pasture, nurturing the soil as they go. This also means that we choose to take the long route at our own farm, Terra Sacra, building up the soil so that we can one day soon provide fresh, nutritious produce.

Our philosphy also means that we don't just look for the best ingredients, but we also strive to build meaningful relationships with our farmers and local providers, fostering a dialogue that encourages each of us to perform to the highest standard. And we listen, too, paying attention to the needs of our vendors and seeking out new forms of partnership that will help them in their sustainability efforts. This could mean, for example, looking for a way to help a farmer sell an edible cover crop that is necessary for healthy soil but difficult to market. Or it could mean choosing to use smaller, heritage breeds of animals such as rabbit, poultry, lambs, and pigs, that are more sustainable for small farmers and increase the genetic diversity of livestock.

Cultivating relationships from the soil to the table also means that we care about our team members. We choose to pay a living wage, provide benefits, and offer a safe, nurturing work environment. This means that we are all committed to treating one another with respect and kindness.

Finally, some of the most meaningful and special relationships that we cultivate are with you, our guests. From our early days at Old Havana through today, we have formed close friendships with many of our guests. We have seen some of them marry and have their first child. To our great delight, some of those children have cut their teeth on our black beans and sweet maduros.

When you dine with us at COPA, you aren't just enjoying some of the nation's only farm-to-table Cuban food—you're engaging in a journey that begins in the earth itself, that turns strangers into friends, and that, almost magically, transports you to a time and place long forgotten, a time where people slowed down to savor flavors, to share face-to-face with loved ones, to nurture body and spirit.